Show guide
Once
Once is an intimate, folk-tinged musical about two strangers, a Dublin street musician and a Czech immigrant, who find an unexpected connection through songwriting. Adapted from an acclaimed independent film, it brought a quieter, more understated kind of storytelling to Broadway.
- Broadway premiere
- 2012
- Music by
- Hansard & Irglová
- Genre
- Rock/Pop
- Setting
- 2000s
Once: quick answers
What is Once about?
- In Dublin, a heartbroken street musician who repairs vacuum cleaners in his father's shop meets a Czech pianist who pushes him not to give up on his songs. As they make music together they fall for each other, though she is still married.
When did Once open on Broadway?
- Once opened on Broadway on March 18, 2012, at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, after an Off-Broadway run at New York Theatre Workshop, and closed on January 4, 2015, after 1,167 performances. It won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
What kind of musical is Once?
- Once is an intimate book musical by Enda Walsh adapted from the 2007 film, using Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová's songs from the movie, including the Oscar-winning Falling Slowly. The actors also play the instruments, serving as the show's orchestra.
Where and when is Once set?
- Once is set in contemporary Dublin, Ireland.
Has Once played in London's West End?
- Once opened in the West End at the Phoenix Theatre on April 9, 2013, and won the 2014 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music.
Is there a Once movie?
- The musical is based on John Carney's 2007 Irish film Once, starring songwriters Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, whose song Falling Slowly won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
The story of Once
Set in contemporary Dublin, Once follows a heartbroken busker on the verge of giving up music and a practical, plain-spoken young woman who hears something in his songs worth saving. Over the course of a short but pivotal stretch of days, the two collaborate on music, edge toward romance, and ultimately help each other move forward with their lives, even if not necessarily together.
The story is small in scale and deeply human, favoring quiet observation and emotional honesty over big theatrical spectacle, which set it apart from many of its Broadway contemporaries.
The music and the makers
The songs came from musicians Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, who originally wrote and performed the music for the film that inspired the stage show. Their sound draws on Irish folk and contemporary singer-songwriter traditions, built around acoustic guitar, piano, and a stripped-down, unpolished emotional directness.
On stage, the actors themselves played their own instruments as part of the ensemble, blurring the line between musicians and characters and reinforcing the show's handmade, close-to-the-bone atmosphere.
Once on Broadway
Once opened on Broadway in 2012 and stood out for its unusually low-key, almost folk-concert presentation, including a pre-show pub scene where the audience could mingle with cast members on stage. That approach offered a refreshing contrast to bigger, splashier musicals of the period.
Its success demonstrated that Broadway audiences had real appetite for smaller, more intimate storytelling, and it helped open the door for other film-to-stage adaptations built around understated, character-driven songwriting.
Once: frequently asked questions
When did Once open on Broadway?
Once opened on Broadway in 2012, based on the earlier independent film.
Who wrote the music for Once?
The songs were written by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, who also wrote the music for the original film.
What genre is Once?
It is a rock and pop musical with a strong folk influence, built around acoustic, singer-songwriter style music.
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